Intelektualni refleks na lažne tvrdnje Maxa Primorca o Bosni i Hercegovini
Autor: Dr. Meho Buljubašić
Objavljeno: 03. Dec 2025. 16:12:23
Ovaj tekst je namijenjen akademskim krugovima, mojim kolegama, te možda entuzijastima iz oblasti globalnih odnosa ili onima koji imaju interes čitati ovaj zahtjevan tekst. Mišljenja i ideje iznesene u ovom tekstu isključivo su moja lična, i ne predstavljaju stav nijedne organizacije i/ili zajednice. Ovo je samo intelektualni refleks na pogrešne opise i predstavljanje činjenica vezanih za Bosnu i Hercegovinu.
Prošlo je 10 godina otkako sam samonametnuo intelektualni egzil iz oblasti međunarodnih odnosa, u kojoj sam stekao doktorat, te se preusmjerio u IT i obrazovanje. Kao naučnik sa specifičnim interesom u izgradnji nacije, fokusiranim na utjecaj globalizacije i tehnološkog napretka na institucionalne promjene u kontekstu borbe modernog i tradicionalnog, osjećam obavezu djelovati u skladu sa Sokratskim intelektualizmom. To je uvjerenje da je vrlina znanje, i da čovjek ne može svjesno birati da čini zlo i govori laži. To je onaj unutrašnji glas koji u bosanskom jeziku nazivam “muk” (u prevodu: tišina koja grmi), i obaveza prema mojim profesorima koji su me tokom 30 godina obrazovanja naučili da govorim istinu i pravdu kada svi drugi šute.
U tom kontekstu, duže vrijeme pratim, ranije inkognito, a danas “eksperta” za Balkan, Maxa Primorca, i njegove nedavne aktivnosti u vezi s vladinim diskursom o Bosni i Hercegovini. Odmah mi je privuklo pažnju da ovaj stručnjak, koji je i saradnik u prestižnom think tanku, manipuliše činjenicama koje mogu dovesti do ozbiljnih pogrešnih interpretacija demokratskih procesa u Bosni i Hercegovini. Sve se to dešava samo nekoliko sedmica nakon stravičnog otkrića i globalnog medijskog fokusa na “Sarajevo Safari,” gdje su bogati “snajper turisti” sa Zapada dolazili da pucaju na civile, uključujući djecu, trudnice i starije osobe, za unaprijed određenu cijenu. Dok se ja, kao Bošnjak-Amerikanac, još uvijek oporavljam od tog šoka, moram svariti jeftine (metaforički rečeno), interesno vođene, diskriminatorne, pristrasne, uvredljive i opasne izjave gospodina Primorca.
Prije samo nekoliko sati (2. decembar 2025.) dao je svjedočenje ili ekspertski osvrt pred Republikanskim odborom za vanjske poslove Predstavničkog doma SAD, i tokom 5 minuta predstavio svoj “stručni” pogled na Balkan (u ovom slučaju Bosnu) koristeći lažne informacije. Zabilježio sam nekoliko svojih bilješki, i njima se bavimo u nastavku:
1. Tvrdnja da je Bosna zemlja sa konstitutivnim narodima: Srbima, Hrvatima i Muslimanima. Ovo je pogrešno, jer prema Ustavu Bosne i Hercegovine: Srbi, Hrvati, Bošnjaci i dr. su konstituentni narodi - "constituent" engl. (”Ustav – Preambula - Bosniacs, Croats, and Serbs, as constituent peoples (along with Others), and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina hereby determine that the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is as follows:
- Bošnjaci, Hrvati i Srbi, kao konstituentni narodi (zajedno sa Ostalima), i građani Bosne i Hercegovine ovim utvrđuju da je Ustav Bosne i Hercegovine, kako slijedi…”)
Ovo je kritično važno jer je genocidna politika koja je rezultirala najgorim ratnim zločinima i genocidom na tlu Evrope nakon Drugog svjetskog rata koristila sličnu demagogiju. Drugi mogući razlog je što je poznat kao lobista za hrvatsku stranu i ima hercegovačke korijene, pa vjerovatno tradicionalno koristi taj termin u porodičnom krugu. Bez obzira na to, umanjivanje nečijeg ustavnog i međunarodno priznatog imena, te fokusiranje na termin koji kategorički isključuje jedan narod i moguće služi političkoj manipulaciji, jednostavno je pogrešno i pristrasno.
2. Tvrdnja da je ekonomija slomljena, a populacija ubrzano opada. Istina je da ekonomija nije idealna, ali ona je odraz jednog važnog procesa tranzicije na Balkanu. EU je stvorila snažan pull efekt — svojevrsnu crnu rupu — koja je dovela do masovnog iseljavanja iz Bosne i drugih balkanskih država u razvijene ekonomije EU. Problemi sa starenjem stanovništva i nedostatkom radne snage predstavljaju najveći izazov za Evropu; a brzi “lijek” bio je otvaranje vrata migracijama iz Balkana. Drugim riječima, otvaranje granica izazvalo je potrese širom starog kontinenta. Dovoljno je reći da je ovakav obrazac stvorio ogromne ekonomske razlike, gdje sada 1 kvadratni metar nekretnine u Sarajevu košta oko 3000 KM ($300 USD po sq ft).
3. Tvrdnja da State Department pokušava stvoriti centraliziranu muslimansku državu, što navodno tjera Srbe na secesiju i uskraćuje Hrvatima pravo na reprezentaciju. Ovo je zapakovano u sumornu sintagmu “propala država,” tvrdeći da je Bosna failed state. Njegov prijedlog je zapravo dodatna balkanizacija Bosne i otvaranje Pandorine kutije iz 1990-ih, što bi ponovo moglo rezultirati genocidom. Nasuprot tome, izuzev političkih lidera — korupcijom zahvaćenog i etnonacionalno projektovanog vođe bosanskih Srba, koji pleše politički tango sa jednako etnonacionalističkim bosansko-hrvatskim partnerom — velika većina drugih aktera (narod u Bosni) zalaže se za euroatlantske integracije Bosne i Hercegovine. Dokaz tome je i sama činjenica koliko ljudi iz Bosne živi i radi u EU. Spomenuti tango gradi svoju moć na etnonacionalnim narativima s krajnjim ciljem novih podjela i secesionističkih ideja Karadjordjevo v 2.0, čija je prva verzija rezultirala presudama bosanskim Srbima i bosanskim Hrvatima u zbiru težim od hiljadu godina zatvora za genocid, ratne zločine i etničko čišćenje. S druge strane, građani Bosne i Hercegovine — bez obzira iz kojeg naroda dolaze — žele EU i NATO put. To je takođe službeni cilj američke vanjske politike prema Bosni, i u nacionalnom je interesu SAD-a da se taj put ispuni. Prijedlog ovog iskusnog “stručnjaka” za izgradnju država u Iraku, Afganistanu i drugdje predstavlja put koji ponovno otvara Pandorinu kutiju u Bosni, zemlji na raskršću civilizacija, historije i budućnosti. Jedna tužna historijska činjenica: tokom rata u Bosni, ja sam išao u osnovnu školu, i zajedno sa svojim bosanskim Hrvatima i bosanskim Srbima iz razreda (zvali smo se Bosanci, vjerovatno se još uvijek tako zovemo), stajali smo u redu da dobijemo 1 čašu mlijeka i 1 sendvič koje je dijelio USAID. Ta ista škola je više puta bila namjerno granatirana od strana koje su imale genocidne namjere.
4. Tvrdnja da se region (Balkan) neće stabilizovati dok se situacija u Srbiji (Republici Srbiji) ne stabilizuje. Ovo prepuštam mojim pro-demokratskim kolegama iz Srbije da komentarišu. Nažalost, svijet je premalo upoznat s aktuelnom borbom za demokratiju u Srbiji, čiji je cilj zaustavljanje korupcije i povratak zemlje na demokratski put usklađen s evropskim vrijednostima. Za stabilizaciju Srbije, oni koji se bore za demokratiju trebaju više pomoći od razvijenih zapadnih demokratija.
5. Utjecaj Kine, Irana i Rusije na Balkanu. Osim Rusije, Kina ima vrlo ograničen utjecaj na političke procese u regionu. Iran jednostavno nije prisutan i trebalo bi pojasniti zašto je uopšte spomenut u ovom kontekstu. Glavni negativni utjecaj može doći iz ruske vanjske politike, ali i dalje su političke elite Balkana primarni izvor problema — a da, SAD ima poluge da ih rješava.
6. Na početku svjedočenja, g. Primorac je naveo da su mišljenja isključivo njegova i ne predstavljaju organizaciju. Međutim, odmah ispod njegovog imena stoji: Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, Heritage Foundation. Usput rečeno, stavovi Margaret Thatcher o ratu u Bosni mogu se sažeti kroz: osuda zapadne neaktivnosti, “lift and strike” politika, nikad ne udovoljavaj agresoru, moralni imperativ, te kritika UN-a. Osim ove posljednje, njegovo svjedočenje je potpuno suprotno svemu za šta se ova politička kolosalka zalagala.
Balkan je ogledalo svijeta. Svaki neodgovoran potez svjetskih sila ili regionalnih političkih lidera može poslati seizmičke potrese kroz krhku strukturu globalnog mira. Posebno u slučaju Bosne, koja je mikrokosmos Balkana, Zapad mora pokazati krajnji oprez u njenom putu ka euroatlantskim integracijama (NATO i EU). To je izuzetno osjetljiv proces koji zahtijeva dugoročno fino podešavanje i stručnost u multidisciplinarnim oblastima koje uključuju kulturu, historiju, ekonomiju, institucije, pravo i međunarodne odnose, uz fokus na različite grupe i primjere dobrih praksi.
Baš kao što je Dejtonski mirovni sporazum uspješno zaustavio rat u Bosni, uspješna integracija Bosne u EU i NATO može poslužiti kao model drugim post-konfliktnim društvima koja traže način da jednostavno — normalno žive. Takav uspjeh zahtijeva stručne analize lišene pristrasnosti, onakve kakve su prikazane u spomenutom svjedočenju. U akademiji postoji mnogo titana iz oblasti Balkana i globalnih odnosa koji mogu dati značajan doprinos kvalitetnoj analizi i kreiranju politika.
Na kraju, nadam se da i naša Prva dama nosi neke pouke o političkoj situaciji na Balkanu, jer je i ona, kao i ja, rođena u zemlji koja više ne postoji — Jugoslaviji.
Sada se vraćam u svoj intelektualni egzil do daljnjeg…
English:
Intellectual Reflex Towards The False Claims About Bosnia and Herzegovina
Author: Meho Buljubasic (concerned citizen)
This post is intended for the academic circles and my colleagues, and maybe enthusiasts in global affairs or people with an interest in reading this hefty text. The opinions and ideas in this text are only my own, not bound for any organization and/or society. It is just an intellectual reflex to false description and the presentation of facts in regards Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It has been 10 years since I self-imposed the intellectual exile from the global affairs field where I earned my doctorate and shifted into IT and Education. As a scholar with a specific nation-building interest focusing on the impact of globalization and technological advancements, on institutional changes in a fashion of modern vs traditional struggle, I find it an obligation to act in accordance with Socratic intellectualism. It is a belief that virtue is knowledge, and we cannot choose knowingly to do wrong and tell lies. It is that inner voice that I call “muk” in Bosnian (trans. Roaring stillness), and the obligation of my professors who taught me through my 30 years of educational journey to speak for right and truth when everyone else is silent.
In context, I have been following previously incognito in academic circles and now “expert” on the Balkans, Max Primorac, and his recent activities regarding the government's discourse on Bosnia and Herzegovina. It immediately caught my attention that this expert, who is also a fellow at a prestigious think tank, manipulates the facts that may lead to the serious misinterpretation of the democratic process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is all happening, just a few weeks after the horrifying revelation and global media focus on Sarajevo Safari, where rich “sniper tourists” from the West were coming to shoot civilians, including children, pregnant women, and elderly people, for a fixed predetermined dollar amount. While I, as a Bosniak-American, am still reeling from this shock, I have to digest the cheap (metaphorically speaking), interest-based, discriminating, biased, insulting, and dangerous statements made by Mr. Primorac.
Just a few hours ago (December 2, 2025), he made a witness remark or an expert view featuring at the House of Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans, and for 5 minutes, he presented his expert view on the Balkans (in this case, Bosnia) with false information. I took couple of notes, and we will address them below:
1. He claims Bosnia to be a country with constituent people: Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. This is wrong because, based on the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Constituent People are: Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and others. This is a critical issue, since the genocidal politics that resulted in the worst war crimes and genocide on European soil after World War II were using similar demagogy. Another possible reason is that he is a known lobbyist for the Croatian side and Herzegovinian roots and may be traditionally using that term in family circles. Regardless, derogating people from their well-recognized name and focusing on a categorically excluding term that can be used for political discourse is simply wrong and biased.
2. He claims that the economy is broken, and the population is shrinking fast. Indeed, the economy is not great, but still, the economy is mostly a reflection of one important transition in the Balkans. It is the push and mostly pull factors from the EU that create an effect where the population is shrinking due to out-migration. The EU caused a black hole-type of a pull effect, triggering historical migration from Bosnia and other countries in the Balkans to the developed economies in the EU. The issue with the aging population in the EU and the lack of available workforce is the number one threat to Europe; the fast painkiller for this issue was enabling migration from the Balkans to the EU. In other words, opening its borders to different people in the Balkans triggered tremors across the old continent. Suffice to say that such a pattern created huge economic disparities, where currently 1 sq ft of real estate in Sarajevo is around $300.
3. His claim that the State Department should stop creating a centralized Muslim State that pushes Serbs (Bosnian-Serbs) to secede and Croats (Bosnian-Croats) denied the right to representation. He wraps this into an abysmal summary word, “failed-state,” claiming Bosnia is a failed state. Whereas his suggestion is to basically Balkanize Bosnia further, opening the Pandora's box that was opened back in the 1990s, which once again may result with genocide. On the contrary, apart from the political leaders like corruption-inflicted and ethno-nationally self-projected leader of Bosnian-Serbs, who is in tango with ethnonationally choreographed Bosnian-Croatian counterpart , majority of all other parties (people in Bosnia) are for Euro-Atlantic Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The proof is just the sheer number of people who migrated to Europe where they work and live. The aforementioned tango centers its political power around the ethnonational narratives with the ultimate goal of some further ethnic divisions and potential secessionist mantra Karadjordjevo v.2.0 (where the prior version resulted in the conviction of Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats war criminals for more than a thousand years in prison for genocide, war crimes, and ethnical cleansing). On the other side, people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of which ethno-nationalistic force they are coming are for a pro-EU and NATO future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is also an official goal of the U.S. foreign policy in regards to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is in the national interest of the USA to have that path fulfilled. The excursion this seasoned expert on nation-building in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere is suggesting is a path that opens a Pandora's Box in Bosnia that finds herself on the crossroads of civilizations, history, and future. One sad historical fact about this conversation is the fact that during the War in Bosnia, I was in my elementary school, and together with my Bosnian-Croat and Bosnian-Serb classmates (we called ourselves Bosnians, probably still do), we were waiting in line to receive 1 cup of milk and 1 sandwich provided by the USAID. That same school was multiple times intentionally targeted by shells from the forces led by perpetrators with genocidal tendencies.
4. His claim is that the region (Balkans) is not going to stabilize until the situation in Serbia (Republic of Serbia) stabilizes. I leave this to my pro-democratic Serbian colleagues to answer. Unfortunately, the world is unaware of the current democratic struggle people in Serbia are facing, with the aim of stopping the corruption and putting the country on a democratic path that is aligned with EU values. For the situation to stabilize in Serbia, people struggling for democracy should receive more help from developed Western democracies.
5. The influence of China, Iran, and Russia in the Balkans. Aside from Russia, China has minimal leverage on the political processes in the Balkans. Iran is simply not there, and it should be clarified why that country was mentioned in this context. The true influence can come from Russian foreign politics, but still, the political elites of the Balkans are the primary driving forces of its problems, and yes, the U.S. has leverage to solve them.
6. Mr. Primorac, at the beginning of his testimony, did indicate that all opinions are solely his own, not representing the organization and etc. However, under his name, we can see the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, Heritage Foundation. On a side note if you summarize Margaret Thatcher’s views on war in Bosnia, they are summarized with condemnation of Western Inaction, the Lift and Strike Policy, Never Appease an Aggressor, Moral Imperative, and Criticism of the UN. Apart from the last, the testimony was in complete contrast to what political colossus Margaret Thatcher stood for.
In synthesis, the Balkans is a mirror window of the world. Any irresponsible move by world powers or political leaders in the Balkans can send seismic tremors through the fabric of fragile global peace. Especially in the case of Bosnia, which is a microcosm of the Balkans, extreme caution should be exercised by the West in Bosnia’s journey to Euro-Atlantic Integration (NATO and EU). This is a very delicate process that requires long-term fine-tuning and expertise in a multi-disciplinary fields incorporating culture, history, economy, institutions, law, and international relations, focusing on diverse groups and best practices elsewhere.
Just like the success of the Dayton Peace Accord to stop the war in Bosnia, a successful integration of Bosnia into the EU and NATO can be used as a model for other post-conflict societies struggling to find a way to just live normally. Such a success requires expert views far from the biases that were presented in the case of the aforementioned testimony. There are plenty of titans in the academia in the field of Balkans and global affairs who can make a significant contribution to the high-quality analysis and policy-making. At last, our First Lady hopefully shares some lessons learned about the political situation in the Balkans since she, just like me, was born in a country that no longer exists, Yugoslavia.
Now I will return to my intellectual exile until further notice…
December 2, 2025
Prošlo je 10 godina otkako sam samonametnuo intelektualni egzil iz oblasti međunarodnih odnosa, u kojoj sam stekao doktorat, te se preusmjerio u IT i obrazovanje. Kao naučnik sa specifičnim interesom u izgradnji nacije, fokusiranim na utjecaj globalizacije i tehnološkog napretka na institucionalne promjene u kontekstu borbe modernog i tradicionalnog, osjećam obavezu djelovati u skladu sa Sokratskim intelektualizmom. To je uvjerenje da je vrlina znanje, i da čovjek ne može svjesno birati da čini zlo i govori laži. To je onaj unutrašnji glas koji u bosanskom jeziku nazivam “muk” (u prevodu: tišina koja grmi), i obaveza prema mojim profesorima koji su me tokom 30 godina obrazovanja naučili da govorim istinu i pravdu kada svi drugi šute.
U tom kontekstu, duže vrijeme pratim, ranije inkognito, a danas “eksperta” za Balkan, Maxa Primorca, i njegove nedavne aktivnosti u vezi s vladinim diskursom o Bosni i Hercegovini. Odmah mi je privuklo pažnju da ovaj stručnjak, koji je i saradnik u prestižnom think tanku, manipuliše činjenicama koje mogu dovesti do ozbiljnih pogrešnih interpretacija demokratskih procesa u Bosni i Hercegovini. Sve se to dešava samo nekoliko sedmica nakon stravičnog otkrića i globalnog medijskog fokusa na “Sarajevo Safari,” gdje su bogati “snajper turisti” sa Zapada dolazili da pucaju na civile, uključujući djecu, trudnice i starije osobe, za unaprijed određenu cijenu. Dok se ja, kao Bošnjak-Amerikanac, još uvijek oporavljam od tog šoka, moram svariti jeftine (metaforički rečeno), interesno vođene, diskriminatorne, pristrasne, uvredljive i opasne izjave gospodina Primorca.
Prije samo nekoliko sati (2. decembar 2025.) dao je svjedočenje ili ekspertski osvrt pred Republikanskim odborom za vanjske poslove Predstavničkog doma SAD, i tokom 5 minuta predstavio svoj “stručni” pogled na Balkan (u ovom slučaju Bosnu) koristeći lažne informacije. Zabilježio sam nekoliko svojih bilješki, i njima se bavimo u nastavku:
1. Tvrdnja da je Bosna zemlja sa konstitutivnim narodima: Srbima, Hrvatima i Muslimanima. Ovo je pogrešno, jer prema Ustavu Bosne i Hercegovine: Srbi, Hrvati, Bošnjaci i dr. su konstituentni narodi - "constituent" engl. (”Ustav – Preambula - Bosniacs, Croats, and Serbs, as constituent peoples (along with Others), and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina hereby determine that the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina is as follows:
- Bošnjaci, Hrvati i Srbi, kao konstituentni narodi (zajedno sa Ostalima), i građani Bosne i Hercegovine ovim utvrđuju da je Ustav Bosne i Hercegovine, kako slijedi…”)
Ovo je kritično važno jer je genocidna politika koja je rezultirala najgorim ratnim zločinima i genocidom na tlu Evrope nakon Drugog svjetskog rata koristila sličnu demagogiju. Drugi mogući razlog je što je poznat kao lobista za hrvatsku stranu i ima hercegovačke korijene, pa vjerovatno tradicionalno koristi taj termin u porodičnom krugu. Bez obzira na to, umanjivanje nečijeg ustavnog i međunarodno priznatog imena, te fokusiranje na termin koji kategorički isključuje jedan narod i moguće služi političkoj manipulaciji, jednostavno je pogrešno i pristrasno.
2. Tvrdnja da je ekonomija slomljena, a populacija ubrzano opada. Istina je da ekonomija nije idealna, ali ona je odraz jednog važnog procesa tranzicije na Balkanu. EU je stvorila snažan pull efekt — svojevrsnu crnu rupu — koja je dovela do masovnog iseljavanja iz Bosne i drugih balkanskih država u razvijene ekonomije EU. Problemi sa starenjem stanovništva i nedostatkom radne snage predstavljaju najveći izazov za Evropu; a brzi “lijek” bio je otvaranje vrata migracijama iz Balkana. Drugim riječima, otvaranje granica izazvalo je potrese širom starog kontinenta. Dovoljno je reći da je ovakav obrazac stvorio ogromne ekonomske razlike, gdje sada 1 kvadratni metar nekretnine u Sarajevu košta oko 3000 KM ($300 USD po sq ft).
3. Tvrdnja da State Department pokušava stvoriti centraliziranu muslimansku državu, što navodno tjera Srbe na secesiju i uskraćuje Hrvatima pravo na reprezentaciju. Ovo je zapakovano u sumornu sintagmu “propala država,” tvrdeći da je Bosna failed state. Njegov prijedlog je zapravo dodatna balkanizacija Bosne i otvaranje Pandorine kutije iz 1990-ih, što bi ponovo moglo rezultirati genocidom. Nasuprot tome, izuzev političkih lidera — korupcijom zahvaćenog i etnonacionalno projektovanog vođe bosanskih Srba, koji pleše politički tango sa jednako etnonacionalističkim bosansko-hrvatskim partnerom — velika većina drugih aktera (narod u Bosni) zalaže se za euroatlantske integracije Bosne i Hercegovine. Dokaz tome je i sama činjenica koliko ljudi iz Bosne živi i radi u EU. Spomenuti tango gradi svoju moć na etnonacionalnim narativima s krajnjim ciljem novih podjela i secesionističkih ideja Karadjordjevo v 2.0, čija je prva verzija rezultirala presudama bosanskim Srbima i bosanskim Hrvatima u zbiru težim od hiljadu godina zatvora za genocid, ratne zločine i etničko čišćenje. S druge strane, građani Bosne i Hercegovine — bez obzira iz kojeg naroda dolaze — žele EU i NATO put. To je takođe službeni cilj američke vanjske politike prema Bosni, i u nacionalnom je interesu SAD-a da se taj put ispuni. Prijedlog ovog iskusnog “stručnjaka” za izgradnju država u Iraku, Afganistanu i drugdje predstavlja put koji ponovno otvara Pandorinu kutiju u Bosni, zemlji na raskršću civilizacija, historije i budućnosti. Jedna tužna historijska činjenica: tokom rata u Bosni, ja sam išao u osnovnu školu, i zajedno sa svojim bosanskim Hrvatima i bosanskim Srbima iz razreda (zvali smo se Bosanci, vjerovatno se još uvijek tako zovemo), stajali smo u redu da dobijemo 1 čašu mlijeka i 1 sendvič koje je dijelio USAID. Ta ista škola je više puta bila namjerno granatirana od strana koje su imale genocidne namjere.
4. Tvrdnja da se region (Balkan) neće stabilizovati dok se situacija u Srbiji (Republici Srbiji) ne stabilizuje. Ovo prepuštam mojim pro-demokratskim kolegama iz Srbije da komentarišu. Nažalost, svijet je premalo upoznat s aktuelnom borbom za demokratiju u Srbiji, čiji je cilj zaustavljanje korupcije i povratak zemlje na demokratski put usklađen s evropskim vrijednostima. Za stabilizaciju Srbije, oni koji se bore za demokratiju trebaju više pomoći od razvijenih zapadnih demokratija.
5. Utjecaj Kine, Irana i Rusije na Balkanu. Osim Rusije, Kina ima vrlo ograničen utjecaj na političke procese u regionu. Iran jednostavno nije prisutan i trebalo bi pojasniti zašto je uopšte spomenut u ovom kontekstu. Glavni negativni utjecaj može doći iz ruske vanjske politike, ali i dalje su političke elite Balkana primarni izvor problema — a da, SAD ima poluge da ih rješava.
6. Na početku svjedočenja, g. Primorac je naveo da su mišljenja isključivo njegova i ne predstavljaju organizaciju. Međutim, odmah ispod njegovog imena stoji: Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, Heritage Foundation. Usput rečeno, stavovi Margaret Thatcher o ratu u Bosni mogu se sažeti kroz: osuda zapadne neaktivnosti, “lift and strike” politika, nikad ne udovoljavaj agresoru, moralni imperativ, te kritika UN-a. Osim ove posljednje, njegovo svjedočenje je potpuno suprotno svemu za šta se ova politička kolosalka zalagala.
Balkan je ogledalo svijeta. Svaki neodgovoran potez svjetskih sila ili regionalnih političkih lidera može poslati seizmičke potrese kroz krhku strukturu globalnog mira. Posebno u slučaju Bosne, koja je mikrokosmos Balkana, Zapad mora pokazati krajnji oprez u njenom putu ka euroatlantskim integracijama (NATO i EU). To je izuzetno osjetljiv proces koji zahtijeva dugoročno fino podešavanje i stručnost u multidisciplinarnim oblastima koje uključuju kulturu, historiju, ekonomiju, institucije, pravo i međunarodne odnose, uz fokus na različite grupe i primjere dobrih praksi.
Baš kao što je Dejtonski mirovni sporazum uspješno zaustavio rat u Bosni, uspješna integracija Bosne u EU i NATO može poslužiti kao model drugim post-konfliktnim društvima koja traže način da jednostavno — normalno žive. Takav uspjeh zahtijeva stručne analize lišene pristrasnosti, onakve kakve su prikazane u spomenutom svjedočenju. U akademiji postoji mnogo titana iz oblasti Balkana i globalnih odnosa koji mogu dati značajan doprinos kvalitetnoj analizi i kreiranju politika.
Na kraju, nadam se da i naša Prva dama nosi neke pouke o političkoj situaciji na Balkanu, jer je i ona, kao i ja, rođena u zemlji koja više ne postoji — Jugoslaviji.
Sada se vraćam u svoj intelektualni egzil do daljnjeg…
English:
Author: Meho Buljubasic (concerned citizen)
 (Image Source: AI-generated using OpenAI DALL·E (no external reference image)) |
This post is intended for the academic circles and my colleagues, and maybe enthusiasts in global affairs or people with an interest in reading this hefty text. The opinions and ideas in this text are only my own, not bound for any organization and/or society. It is just an intellectual reflex to false description and the presentation of facts in regards Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It has been 10 years since I self-imposed the intellectual exile from the global affairs field where I earned my doctorate and shifted into IT and Education. As a scholar with a specific nation-building interest focusing on the impact of globalization and technological advancements, on institutional changes in a fashion of modern vs traditional struggle, I find it an obligation to act in accordance with Socratic intellectualism. It is a belief that virtue is knowledge, and we cannot choose knowingly to do wrong and tell lies. It is that inner voice that I call “muk” in Bosnian (trans. Roaring stillness), and the obligation of my professors who taught me through my 30 years of educational journey to speak for right and truth when everyone else is silent.
In context, I have been following previously incognito in academic circles and now “expert” on the Balkans, Max Primorac, and his recent activities regarding the government's discourse on Bosnia and Herzegovina. It immediately caught my attention that this expert, who is also a fellow at a prestigious think tank, manipulates the facts that may lead to the serious misinterpretation of the democratic process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is all happening, just a few weeks after the horrifying revelation and global media focus on Sarajevo Safari, where rich “sniper tourists” from the West were coming to shoot civilians, including children, pregnant women, and elderly people, for a fixed predetermined dollar amount. While I, as a Bosniak-American, am still reeling from this shock, I have to digest the cheap (metaphorically speaking), interest-based, discriminating, biased, insulting, and dangerous statements made by Mr. Primorac.
Just a few hours ago (December 2, 2025), he made a witness remark or an expert view featuring at the House of Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans, and for 5 minutes, he presented his expert view on the Balkans (in this case, Bosnia) with false information. I took couple of notes, and we will address them below:
1. He claims Bosnia to be a country with constituent people: Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. This is wrong because, based on the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Constituent People are: Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, and others. This is a critical issue, since the genocidal politics that resulted in the worst war crimes and genocide on European soil after World War II were using similar demagogy. Another possible reason is that he is a known lobbyist for the Croatian side and Herzegovinian roots and may be traditionally using that term in family circles. Regardless, derogating people from their well-recognized name and focusing on a categorically excluding term that can be used for political discourse is simply wrong and biased.
2. He claims that the economy is broken, and the population is shrinking fast. Indeed, the economy is not great, but still, the economy is mostly a reflection of one important transition in the Balkans. It is the push and mostly pull factors from the EU that create an effect where the population is shrinking due to out-migration. The EU caused a black hole-type of a pull effect, triggering historical migration from Bosnia and other countries in the Balkans to the developed economies in the EU. The issue with the aging population in the EU and the lack of available workforce is the number one threat to Europe; the fast painkiller for this issue was enabling migration from the Balkans to the EU. In other words, opening its borders to different people in the Balkans triggered tremors across the old continent. Suffice to say that such a pattern created huge economic disparities, where currently 1 sq ft of real estate in Sarajevo is around $300.
3. His claim that the State Department should stop creating a centralized Muslim State that pushes Serbs (Bosnian-Serbs) to secede and Croats (Bosnian-Croats) denied the right to representation. He wraps this into an abysmal summary word, “failed-state,” claiming Bosnia is a failed state. Whereas his suggestion is to basically Balkanize Bosnia further, opening the Pandora's box that was opened back in the 1990s, which once again may result with genocide. On the contrary, apart from the political leaders like corruption-inflicted and ethno-nationally self-projected leader of Bosnian-Serbs, who is in tango with ethnonationally choreographed Bosnian-Croatian counterpart , majority of all other parties (people in Bosnia) are for Euro-Atlantic Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The proof is just the sheer number of people who migrated to Europe where they work and live. The aforementioned tango centers its political power around the ethnonational narratives with the ultimate goal of some further ethnic divisions and potential secessionist mantra Karadjordjevo v.2.0 (where the prior version resulted in the conviction of Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats war criminals for more than a thousand years in prison for genocide, war crimes, and ethnical cleansing). On the other side, people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of which ethno-nationalistic force they are coming are for a pro-EU and NATO future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is also an official goal of the U.S. foreign policy in regards to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is in the national interest of the USA to have that path fulfilled. The excursion this seasoned expert on nation-building in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere is suggesting is a path that opens a Pandora's Box in Bosnia that finds herself on the crossroads of civilizations, history, and future. One sad historical fact about this conversation is the fact that during the War in Bosnia, I was in my elementary school, and together with my Bosnian-Croat and Bosnian-Serb classmates (we called ourselves Bosnians, probably still do), we were waiting in line to receive 1 cup of milk and 1 sandwich provided by the USAID. That same school was multiple times intentionally targeted by shells from the forces led by perpetrators with genocidal tendencies.
4. His claim is that the region (Balkans) is not going to stabilize until the situation in Serbia (Republic of Serbia) stabilizes. I leave this to my pro-democratic Serbian colleagues to answer. Unfortunately, the world is unaware of the current democratic struggle people in Serbia are facing, with the aim of stopping the corruption and putting the country on a democratic path that is aligned with EU values. For the situation to stabilize in Serbia, people struggling for democracy should receive more help from developed Western democracies.
5. The influence of China, Iran, and Russia in the Balkans. Aside from Russia, China has minimal leverage on the political processes in the Balkans. Iran is simply not there, and it should be clarified why that country was mentioned in this context. The true influence can come from Russian foreign politics, but still, the political elites of the Balkans are the primary driving forces of its problems, and yes, the U.S. has leverage to solve them.
6. Mr. Primorac, at the beginning of his testimony, did indicate that all opinions are solely his own, not representing the organization and etc. However, under his name, we can see the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, Heritage Foundation. On a side note if you summarize Margaret Thatcher’s views on war in Bosnia, they are summarized with condemnation of Western Inaction, the Lift and Strike Policy, Never Appease an Aggressor, Moral Imperative, and Criticism of the UN. Apart from the last, the testimony was in complete contrast to what political colossus Margaret Thatcher stood for.
In synthesis, the Balkans is a mirror window of the world. Any irresponsible move by world powers or political leaders in the Balkans can send seismic tremors through the fabric of fragile global peace. Especially in the case of Bosnia, which is a microcosm of the Balkans, extreme caution should be exercised by the West in Bosnia’s journey to Euro-Atlantic Integration (NATO and EU). This is a very delicate process that requires long-term fine-tuning and expertise in a multi-disciplinary fields incorporating culture, history, economy, institutions, law, and international relations, focusing on diverse groups and best practices elsewhere.
Just like the success of the Dayton Peace Accord to stop the war in Bosnia, a successful integration of Bosnia into the EU and NATO can be used as a model for other post-conflict societies struggling to find a way to just live normally. Such a success requires expert views far from the biases that were presented in the case of the aforementioned testimony. There are plenty of titans in the academia in the field of Balkans and global affairs who can make a significant contribution to the high-quality analysis and policy-making. At last, our First Lady hopefully shares some lessons learned about the political situation in the Balkans since she, just like me, was born in a country that no longer exists, Yugoslavia.
Now I will return to my intellectual exile until further notice…
December 2, 2025